HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY/ANGEL DAY, JUSTIN! We miss you!

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Looks like Grandma Belle''s memorial ...

Looks like Grandma Belle''s memorial service will be the Friday of Mother''s Day weekend. We hope. Still many things to work out, but that is what we are shooting for.

Matthew has been dealing with plenty of issues regarding asthma....doctor has officially diagnosed him with it now. We will be trying several different medications and will be getting him tested for allergies to get a final plan. On the upside, he''s not let any of this bother him and is just as active as ever. Allison received her braces in March...she''s very proud of them and is loving every minute of them so far. Thank goodness. We will see how she is after they tighten them for the first time. Both kids are ready for summer to come...Kara is still ticked off when she can''t get to go to school with the rest of the kids...ah, sometimes I wish the older two still felt that way! LOL!

We are busy, busy, busy as usual...not a lot of time to sit down lately it seems. We are certainly looking forward to our family vacation to Mesa Verde at the end of May. Reservations are made and we are making plans to get the camper out of storage, de-winterized and ready for our trips. Can''t wait!

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAROLD WILLIAMS!! #1!!

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A memorial service for Grandma ...

A memorial service for Grandma Belle has been set for tomorrow (Thursday, March 25, 2010) at Drury Place in Topeka at 2:00 pm. Another memorial service (possibly at the Methodist church) and an burial will be held at a later date. Thank you for all of your prayers.

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Great-grandma Isabelle Savelius passed away ...

Great-grandma Isabelle Savelius passed away this morning around 12:30 am. She was 94 years old. Matthew, Kara and I were able to see her yesterday afternoon...she was unresponsive at the time, but we''d like to think she knew that we were there. She finally, after 19 years, will be able to reunite with Great-grandpa Joe. RIP Grandma Belle...we will miss you.

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Signs of spring are everywhere...our ...

Signs of spring are everywhere...our backyard is greening up, daffodils are poking through the mulch, and buds are on our apricot tree (now, pray for no freeze....bad freeze = no apricots). The garden has been tilled, ready for potatoes to be planted in the next week or two. Seeds are started indoors! We''ve got gardening fever!

Matthew had a band concert this evening (Band-o-Rama....5th grade through 12th grade performed - kids are all from 5 different school - 685 of ''em!). He did a terrific job! I posted videos of the performance.

Spring break starts Thursday...although it''s a break for the kids, it''s definitely not a break for me, but that''s why I stay home, right? Ha!

Allison will be getting braces put on her teeth on the 30th...she''s picked out pink and purple to go with her metal...oh, Lordy! Found out she''s addicted to the taste of Scope...orthodontist is thrilled since we will apparently be buying that in BULK! LOL!

Not much else is going on around here...just constant string of meetings, swim practices, gymnastics, music rehearsals, concerts...wait, I guess that''s a lot of things. So much for trying to say "no" more. Ah well.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, UNCLE JASON HASELHORST!

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Well, Eric''s toy show was ...

Well, Eric''s toy show was a success this year...so much so that he is already looking forward to planning next year''s and has gotten himself a table at another toy show in another town in March. I tried to sell some tutus (with farm themes of course!) but didn''t sell a one. So if you are interested in a tutu, let me know!!

We are currently in our longest stretch of nobody in the house being sick...it''s almost scary to admit it because I''m afraid I''ll jinx it!

After getting missed by the majority of the snow that hit the rest of Kansas in December, we finally got smacked with 8 inches last week (it was sooooo beautiful) and the kids had a day off of school last Friday because of it. Yesterday yielded another 3 inches. It''s trying to melt today, but the sun has gone behind the clouds again. They are talking more snow again on Sunday. We are very, very happy to see the snow because this means much needed moisture around here. Not to mention that it''s just so dang pretty. Eric and I were lamenting the other day, however, that we wished it had come during the Christmas season...the lights from everyone''s displays always looks so pretty against freshly fallen snow. It has caused some delay as far as me getting to Great Bend to work (last week), but we''ve been able to work around it.

Matthew is excelling on swim team...his coach is extremely happy with his progress. I can''t wait until his first swim meet to see how he does (that will be in June). Allison is doing well with gymnastics but with typical Allie fashion is already asking to do something else. She has stuck with it and has improved so much since September. It looks like we will be enrolling Kara in a dance class soon....she''s a little ballerina and has picked up on some dance moves already all by herself.

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Just a quick note to ...

Just a quick note to let everyone know that the owners of aboutmybaby.com are discontinuing the online scrapbook service. I am in the process of transferring everything over to another website host so in the next couple of months, I''ll be sending you a new link to the new website. With everything on here, it''s going to take a long time, but I hope to continue a website for the family to be able to keep in touch with each other. The new one I''ve found is much more interactive so hopefully it will work better.

In other news...Matthew started his first practice last night with the local swim team. His coaches were impressed with his initial performance and are really looking forward to working with him. Although he still plans on baseball this summer, he is really looking forward to swim team. Allison is still doing well in gymnastics although, she was disappointed she couldn''t join the swim team, too, last night! Ha! Kara has come down with that persistent cough again...she had improved so much from her last bout with the respiratory "guck" over Christmas that I was beginning to second guess see a pulmonologist in March...but since this last bout started, I''m glad that we are going to get her tested once and for all for asthma. We are excited that she slept through the night last night without needing another breathing treatment...Alleluia! :-)

We are looking forward to a visit this weekend from Grandpa Dave and Nana Nancy...it''s been since Thanksgiving since we saw them all together and the kids are very excited. Should be a great weekend!

Have a wonderful week...don''t forget the people of Haiti and especially all of the orphaned children with no family to comfort them during this scary time...they had another quake this morning and I can''t imagine the fear those little ones have in their hearts and minds. Help them as much as you can with anything from prayer to monetary donations to opening your home....

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Michelle / Tuesday, February 2 2010 11:31 PM

Chris, I would be interested in learning about this new site you are going to use. My fam is upset about the changes.

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THEY ARE GONE

You can shed tears that they are gone
Or you can smile because they have lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that they''ll come back
Or you can open your eyes and see all they''ve left.

Your heart can be empty because you can''t see them
Or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember them and only that they''re gone
Or you can cherish their memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind,
be empty and turn your back

Or you can do what they''d want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

**In loving memory of Beverly Ann Haselhorst (11/9/50 - 1/5/09). May all who knew you, love you, and were blessed by your presence in their lives understand that you are gone and that it''s OK to move on with your blessing. That it''s OK to cry when they miss you, smile when they remember you, laugh when they share their experiences they had with you, and allow their hearts to leap with joy when they love others. Your life will never be forgotten and you will never be replaced. On the contrary: we are all better to have known you and will carry a piece of you with us always, no matter what direction our lives will take. Please pray for those who do not understand this and ask for God to give them peace. We miss you, Bev/Mom/Grandma/Sister/Aunt/Daughter....but we rejoice with the Saints that you are with our Father.**

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Katie / Monday, January 4 2010 04:30 PM

That is touching! Love the poem above. Great!

Kelly / Monday, January 4 2010 03:39 PM

That was beautiful Chris...thank you! Did you get my email change...kellyfeist@att.net..this is the new email. Love, Kelly

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Happy Birthday, Kaden Myers!!

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Merry Christmas! What a whirlwind ...

Merry Christmas! What a whirlwind of a December! Lots of birthdays, sickness, concerts, and traveling!

Celebrating: Happy Birthdays went out to Wenceslao, Hunter, Sami, Isabelle W., and Kaden! Happy Anniversary went out to Uncle Garrett and Aunt Amy!

Sickness: Allison and Kara struggled the entire month (since before Thanksgiving) with continued respiratory sicknesses. Finally, a trip to a new doctor''s office yielded sinus infections (both girls), a UTI (Allison) and an ear infection (Kara). Allison also had to endure a minor surgical procedure to relieve pain and pressure from an unhealed hematoma. The hole in her leg is healing nicely now...we are very pleased by how things look.

Concerts: Mommy''s concert with the Choral Union was canceled due to bad weather. So was Matthew''s band concert....we did get to hear Matthew''s 5th grade band play the last day of public school (which was the 23rd). Not an official concert, but we were grateful nevertheless. Due to weather and sickness, Allison missed out on an entire month of gymnastics. She will start up again this week.

Traveling: Mommy headed to Topeka with Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Dennis to see Uncle Will graduate from college on December 11. The following week, we traveled to Great Bend for the weekend for a family Christmas with Daddy''s family. It was very nice. We had a good time even though there was an obvious person missing from the festivities. We had some quiet time with a few tears in the kitchen after Mass Saturday night to remember Grandma Bev. Her absence was very obvious and she was missed by everyone. We can only pray that she was with us and is saying a few prayers for all of us as we continue to struggle with her passing. We missed going back to Great Bend on the 23rd due to weather so we were unable to spend a nice Christmas evening with Great-Grandma Steffan and the rest of the gang. However, Eric and the kids were able to visit Grandma Cecelia on December 26...Mommy had to work and it was a perfect time to have some one on one time with Grandma.

Christmas Eve was spent at home after attending a beautiful Christmas Eve Mass. Mommy and Daddy were finally able to, for the first time, spend the evening quietly watching "White Christmas" and drinking bad wine. *grin* Christmas Day was also spent at home...lots of baking, game playing, and naps were the rule that day. It was really nice to spend so much time as a family together. We were even able to make a few phone calls to loved ones we were unable to spend Christmas with. We headed for Bucklin later in the evening for Christmas with Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Dennis.

It is with some anxiety that we say goodbye to 2009....January 5th will mark one year since Grandma Bev left us suddenly and even though it''s not said out loud, this "anniversary" is one we are not going to be celebrating...we miss her terribly but it is also because of our deep love for her that we are able to move on with life...new traditions, new relationships, new memories. I guess that''s what a new year is all about. New beginnings. New blessings. May all of you have a blessed 2010.

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Michelle / Tuesday, December 29 2009 03:26 PM

I have a beautiful Holy Family ornament that I will be getting to you soon. It''s a memorial ornament for Bev. It was purchased in her loving memory. I hope that every year when you place it on the tree it will bring peace and memories. Miss you and praying for you.

Kelly / Tuesday, December 29 2009 01:25 PM

I always enjoy reading your journals...it seems to warm my heart! Thank you and Happy New Year to you and your family!

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY WENCESLAO WILLIAMS!

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Happy Thanksgiving! We had a ...

Happy Thanksgiving! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, traveling to Great Bend first to see Grandpa Dan. Then it was on to Topeka to see the Arasmith side of the family...lots of food, lots of visiting, and some fun shopping on Black Friday (Mommy even ran into a friend in the midst of the chaos! What fun!). Saturday, we were able to head over to the Bachman side and visit for an afternoon. Saturday night we had a wonderful visit with the Myers family, who were able to come over for supper and for a couple hours of visiting...we really enjoyed it! They headed back to Texas from Uncle Greg''s parent''s house in Cimmarron....we will see them again for Christmas in a few weeks....

Things are returning to normal, as much as they can during the holiday season...it has seemed to take Mommy quite a bit of time to recover from 2 months of solid rehearsals and performances for the muscial, but all is better now. A routine is happening again...Daddy is able to travel now for his job more, which gets him out from behind his desk, which makes him happy. Kids are excited for Christmas coming up...constantly making last minute changes to their lists. Little do they know that there isn''t much that can happen if something new gets added...tee-hee! Oh well.

Both Kara and Allison came down with some sort of nasty virus...Kara is still trying to shake it. Allie seems to have recovered. Matthew has escaped it...so far.

Enjoy your December! Maybe "Mother-Nature" will actually remember that it''s supposed to be cold and snowy this time of year instead of the spring-like temps we''ve been having....Thanksgiving day was border-line hot! Ha! Gotta love Kansas!

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Dodge City had it''s first ...

Dodge City had it''s first snow on Monday morning...not much of one. It barely covered the grass and was gone by noon. Mommy and the kids were disappointed as all of the major snow went north and east of us, but we enjoyed how pretty it looked for a few hours anyway.

Allison celebrated her birthday yesterday at school and again at home with family for supper. She had her big birthday party on Saturday...it was a tea party and the girls had an amazing time. The giggles and squeals were infectious and Allison was on cloud 9!

Now that November is winding down and Thanksgiving is upon us, we''ve started to decorate the house for Christmas. We were worried about where we would put the Christmas tree, but the new tree proved to be smaller than our old one and it fits perfectly in the space between the dining room and the living room. The kids have been begging to decorate it so I imagine that will be on the agenda sometime this week. Even Eric seems to be hinting as he keeps using it for "extra light" when he''s working on something in the living room. Yep.

Wicked The Musical, was AMAZING!! We plan on going again if we can in the future....the production has moved on to Kansas City and Cleveland, OH, but we are hoping that it comes back near our area again. It is highly recommended that you see that musical sometime...it is totally worth it.

Well, time to get back to work. Allie is home sick today after whirlwind birthday activities...she''s running a fever today so we are home making sure she is resting. Poor thing. Even Kara seems to be coughing again. Here we go...doesn''t look like we''ve escaped the bug going around afterall...thought we''d dodged a bullet. Oh well. Enjoy the remainder of your week and be safe in your Thanksgiving travels next week!

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Goodness! It''s been two months ...

Goodness! It''s been two months since an update! A lot has happened since September 1st!

School got off to a wonderful start...a new slate of teachers at the school, new A/C at the school, new friends moved in to town...life has been good for the kids at school. Kara is LOVING preschool and her teacher shocked us at parent/teacher conferences by telling us that our shy child is actually the LEADER in class...she''s outgoing, very artistic, and focused. Allison is doing very well in her 1st grade class. Grades are outstanding! Her only issue is breaking in to song under her breath when it''s quiet in class...hmmm..wonder where she gets that from? Matthew is doing extremely well as well...he''s only got one B right now and the rest are A''s. He''s improving in band as well...he decided on percussion and has been learning the bells since September. He''s looking forward to drums later in the year. God help us. We are very proud of all of them.

The kids have been putting up with Mommy being gone a lot since the beginning of September. I played Emma Carew in the Depot Theater production of Jekyll and Hyde. The 3 week run was in October and it was a total success. We''ve heard great and wonderful things from the public about it...so my first experience in the Depot was a VERY positive one. I was able to meet a lot of new people as well as visit with old friends who came long distances to see the show. Glad to be back home now with family though...

Grandma Nancy, Grandpa Dennis, and Darlene moved from Florida back to Kansas in September...Bucklin, in fact...not too far from Dodge City. The kids are happy to have grandparents so close again.

Kara''s birthday was yesterday and although we didn''t have a very large celebration, she had a wonderful birthday. She celebrated in her class at school and then again at home with family in the evening. I''ve posted pictures to her album....Hard to believe that little girl is four years old. I can still remember the sigh and tears of relief when she was born.

We are also happy to be welcoming a new member to our family functions....Grandpa Dan is spending time with Vicki and she is now "officially" his girlfriend! Everyone is very excited that they found each other. We think that Grandma Bev and Vicki''s husband Dennis are smiling down at them from heaven. We are truly blessed to be getting to know Vicki!

The Holiday season is sneaking up on us....Thanksgiving is in 3 weeks....so we are gearing up for family visits. Plans are still up in the air for Christmas....our nephew Harold will be baptized in Corpus Christi, TX over Christmas and we are not sure we will be able to make it. I''m not saying no just yet, though! Christmas shopping is in full swing as is shopping for all of the birthdays we have for the next three months!

This Saturday, Eric and I will take a much needed trip to Wichita by ourselves to attend Wicked, The Musical. We hope to finish some Christmas shopping while we are there, but more importantly, we are going to spend some time together. A nice date day if I do say so myself!

Well, time to get back to uploading photos and then to work. Enjoy the rest of your week!

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Kelly / Thursday, November 5 2009 03:04 PM

Chris, I hope your musical went well, I''m sure it did because you have the most beautiful voice I have ever heard!!!
I was happy to see Dan and Vicky at the State Fair together...what a trully wonderful pair!!!! Hope you are doing well! Love, Kelly

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!!! We are ...

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The kids actually took off ...

The kids actually took off for school this morning in long sleeves and jackets...this cool weather is SOOOOO not Dodge City in the summer! We aren''t complaining, though, because we haven''t had to run the AC in days and our yard hasn''t been this green in a long time.

Heading out for another camping trip this weekend....we hope. Then, it''s off for one final camping run with the camper next weekend...don''t know where yet for either weekend, so who knows. We may end up camping in the driveway!

Kids were excited to see Grandpa Dave and Nana this past weekend. Daddy had Stewardship Day at the Cathedral all day Saturday and Mommy had to sing at Mass Saturday night. So although we had guests, we were still busy. Went to Boot Hill on Saturday afternoon and the kids had a ball. We had a great weekend.

In two weeks, Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Dennis will be here. They are moving "back home" from Florida to a new job in Dodge City. The kids ask all of the time when they are coming...we will help them move in when they get here. We are sure praying that things go way better for them here then they did in Florida. It doesn''t sound like they will be here for very long (maybe 2 years), but we will enjoy their close proximity while they are here. Have a safe move!

Rehearsals for Mommy will start next week for Jekyll & Hyde (musical). I will be playing Emma Carew (Dr. Jekyll''s fiance)....kids have been helping me practice (of course). Should be fun as I haven''t done anything major like this since college. Sounds like lots of people are planning to attend...so no pressure. Ha! Poor Daddy will be a "single parent" for the good part of 2 months...but he''s being a good sport about all of it.

A week ago we went to Victoria for a wedding for Amanda and Kevin. It was so wonderful to see them getting married! I sang, Eric read, and Matthew served. BIG family affair! Sounds like Amanda and Kevin had a great time in Hawaii...too bad we couldn''t convince them that they needed to take us with them. Maybe next time. *grin*

Well, enjoy the beautiful weather!

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First day of school today! ...

First day of school today! A few tears were shed by Mom after dropping off Kara at her preschool today....Kara was a bit upset that she couldn''t dive in to the puzzles but had to find her chair. A new routine....she''s had her heart set on those puzzles since seeing them at open house yesterday. But, all was well within a few minutes and she was finally able to use her paints in class! She was very proud to show off her picture at home. Allison bounded in to first grade with enthusiasm....Matthew was a bit more apprehensive about 5th grade. But, all in all, the morning went well. Can''t believe another year is starting, but we are excited to get back in to the school routine.

Speaking of routine...time to go get the kiddos from school and wake Kara from her nap. Have a great week!